Jiu Jitsu is Expensive

Jiu Jitsu isn’t cheap.

As in, it’s expensive to train, if you look at it from a purely monetary point of view. A regular gym is far, far cheaper. And they’ve all that cool looking equipment, and mirrors, and good lighting for selfies (which I believe is a VERY IMPORTANT THING).

Oh a total aside here, a friend goes to a gym and there’s a sign saying “please do not vlog in the changing rooms” in the men’s room. That’s right folks. It’s 2023 and we’ve to ask people politely not to video us in the nip.

So actually, if you think about it, you should pay the extra fees for Jiu Jitsu just to not have to put up with the sort of person who goes around recording vlogs and taking photos of themselves posing.

But anyway, to the expense of Jiu Jitsu. I get asked about the trips abroad for tournaments, and the Gis you go through, and things like the massage therapy to keep you feeling good on the mats or the supplements you might buy, or just the time it takes out of your week.

And funny, the people who ask me always look at me like I’m going through pain to do it. It’s the same if you do triathlons or mountain biking or anything else like that. If it demands time, money, and effort, people wonder why the hell you’d do it.

I mean, it’s expensive to booze and eat takeaway too, and that’s a lot of people’s habits, but no one ever stops them and asks them “ooh it’s quite pricey to do isn’t it?”. Piss €100 against a wall after 8 pints and a takeaway and no one bats an eyelid. Enter a Jiu Jitsu tournament for €100 and people will go “It costs what!”.

But the truth is, like everyone who has a passion, if they ask you, you don’t have an answer you can put into words. All you have is the other people who do it to share a nod with. They understand.

I understand.

See you on the mat,

Barry